Guide clip for repairing commutators



Sept. 19, 1950 G. w. DINKLER GUIDE CLIP FOR REPAIRING COMMUTATORS Filed Sept. 5, 1947 INVENTOR.

George W. D/nk/a" flm'a/aan Afforneys Patented Sept. 19, 1950 um'rro STATES PATENT OFFICE GUIDE CLIP FOR REPAIRING COMMUTATORS George W. Dinkler, Beckley, W. Va. Application September 5, 1947, Serial No. 7 72,368

3 Claims.

This invention relates to dressing tools for the commutators of electrical machines and more particularly to a guide clip adapted to be employed in undercutting the strip insulation between adjacent commutator segments.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved guide clip to be employed in dressing commutators, said clip being very simple in structure, easy to apply and providing an efiicient means for guiding an undercutting tool between adjacent commutator segments without risk of injury to said segments.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a readily attachable guide clip for undercutting the insulation strips between commutator segments during the dressing of a commutator, said clip being inexpensive to manufacture, sturdy in construction and effectively protecting the commutator segments against damage by the undercutting tool.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a guide clip constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of an electrical machine showing the guide clip of Figure 1 engaged with the commutator thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the commutator portion of the machine of Figure 2 showing the guide clip mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawings, ll designates the guide clip generally, said clip being formed of suitable resilient metal strip material, such as spring steel, and being formed to define a top arm l2 and a lower arm l3 connected by a curved bend l4. Secured to or formed integrally with the end of top arm 12 is a bar member 15 extending transversely of and being substantially flush with said top arm l2. The rearward portion l5 of bar member I5 is bent upwardly at right angles to the intermediate portion of said bar member and the forward portion ll thereof is bent downwardly at right angles to said intermediate portion. The bar member I5 is formed with a slot l8 which extends for the major portion of the length of the bar member, including the angled bent portions Hi and H.

The lower arm [3 is substantially longer than the upper arm l2 and is provided with a well member extending from its end, the member being formed with a V-bend 19 substantially in vertical alignment with the bar member l5. llhe 2 bottom apex of the V-bend I9 is likewise in vertical alignment with the slot lit. The outer end of said lower arm l3 extends beyond the V-bend l9 to define a horizontal finger tab 20.

in using the device, the arms I2 and I3 are engaged around a commutator, such as shown at 2|, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, the V-bend l9 receiving the bottom of the commutator and the slotted bar member I5 engaging the top thereof with spring pressure. The clip is then rotated until the insulation strip between a pair of adjacent commutator segments is in alignment with the slot [8. The cutting tool, such as a hacksaw blade, is inserted in said slot, the tool projecting through the slot portion in upwardly bent bar element l6 and engaging the insulating strip through the remaining slot portions. The insulation strip may then be undercut as desired by endwise movement of the cutting tool. The slot I8 in the bar member l5 protects the adjacent commutator segments against damage by the cutting tool.

When the undercutting operation has been completed on one insulation strip, the guide clip is rotated until the next strip is in alignment with the slot l8 and the process is repeated.

The depending bar element I! is positioned in abutment with the end surface 22 of the commutator so as to positively locate the guide clip in a fixed transverse plane with respect to the axis of the commutator during each insulation strip undercutting operation. This provides uniform tool guiding conditions for the undercutting of all insulation strips on the commutator.

By the use of a tool guide clip as above described, the time required to repair commutators, such as the commutators of automobile generators, starting motors and the like, is materially reduced.

While a specific embodiment of a commutator repair guide clip has been disclosed in the foregoing description it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A guide clip of the character described, comprising a U-shaped resilient strip member having substantially parallel upper and lower arms, the upper arm carrying at its end a transversely extending slotted bar element having an upwardly-projecting rear portion and having a downwardly projecting forward portion, the slot extending into said rear and forward portions, and the lower arm being formed with a concave portion substantially vertically aligned with said slotted bar element.

2. A guide clip of the character described, comprisin a U-shaped resilient strip member having substantially parallel upper and lower arms, the upper arm carrying at its end a transversely extending bar element formed with a slot and projecting upwardly at a right angle at its rear portion and projecting downwardly at a right angle at its forward portion, the slot extending through the major portion of "the length. of said bar element and being included in said upwardly and downwardly projecting rear and forward portions, and the lower arm being formed with a V-bend substantially vertically aligned with said bar element.

3. A guide clip of the character described comprisin a ,U-shaped resilient strip member havmg substantially parallel upper and lower arms, a slotted bar element positioned transversely of said upper arm adjacent its free end and secured thereto adapted to slidably receive a cutting tool, and a well member projecting from the free end of said lower arm, said well member being in alignment with said slotted bar element.

GEORGE W. DINKLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 673,283] Nance Apr. 30, 1901 7-35,100. Hormby Aug. 4, 1903 1,366,784 Gardner et a1 Jan. 25, 1921 1;915,924 Coe June 27, 1933 2,086,299 Jonsson July 6, 1937 

